Chapter 18
Edrin
I felt the sensation of someone leaning close to me as I slept. Cracking my eyes open carefully. I caught a glimpse of long, dark hair and striking blue eyes. Audrey.
ust as she was straightening. I threw my arm out and wrapped it around her waist, yanking her close.
Jung
-What do you think you're doing, young lady!" I growled, my fingers digging into the soft flesh beneath her sweater.
Audrey's eyes turned into saucers at my touch. Her face reddened until it practically looked like a ripe little strawberry, and her mouth turned into an 'O' when she realized she had been caught in the act. "P-Professor-I mean, Edwin, she gasped, pressing her palms flat into the expanse of my forearm to try and pry it away. "I-I didn't-
Seeing her struggle like this, like a mouse caught in a trap, made my grip soften a bit. Audrey took the opportunity to wriggle free- but in the act, she stumbled backwards and knocked into the ink pot sitting on my desk.
"Hey!" I jumped up, narrowly avoiding having jet black ink spilled all over my clothes.
"I-I'm so sorry!" she breathed, already by the door. I'm sa.. I'm so sorry"
"Audrey, wait-" II
It was too late. She was already out the door in a rush, leaving me alone with nothing but confusion, ink splatters, and.. What was this?
Stooping. I picked up a small white envelope that was sitting in the middle of an ink puddle. It appeared to be sealed, so I carefully tore it open with a furrowed brow and pulled the contents out
As soon as I did that, I was hit with the scent of women's perfume and flowers-almost as though the card inside had been sprayed with the stuff. I coughed and waved my hand before opening the small, nondescript pink card.
What was written inside practically made my heart stop in my chest.Content is © 2024 NôvelDrama.Org.
"Dear Edwin.."the card began. "I may not have known you long, but I feel as if we've known each other for years. Perhaps you hardly notice me the way I notice you... Perhaps you don't notice me at all.." I quirked my eyebrows as I sank back into my chair and continued to read.
"...But I think that we do share a sort of chemistry between us; I've felt it during our fleeting glances, those brief moments when our eyes meet. Maybe you don't notice it, but I do. I'd like to give us a chance..." The more I read, the more I found it nearly impossible to contain the smirk that spread across my lips. Audrey had dropped this note in her haste, a love letter for me? The signature portion was smudged out by
of it.
"How bold," I muttered to myself as I turned the card over in my hand. It seemed rather unlike the shy girl who had shared my bed with me-the virgin who had trembled just at my lips touching her neck.
But I supposed that I had misread her. Maybe she wasn't so shy after all; maybe that was why she was leaning so close to me just now as I slept. To steal a kiss before she left her confession for me.
I almost felt bad that I had interrupted it.
"Edwin! Is everything alright?"
The sound of Charles's voice suddenly snapped me out of my reverie, and it was only then that I realized I had inadvertently read the little love note several times over, Quickly closing the card, I looked up to m "Yes, everything's line. Why?"
"Oh, I just heard some commation, and-Goddess, Edwin, look at yourself!" Charles scurried from the doorway, slipping his phone out of his pocket. He turned on the front-facing camera and handed it to me My eyes widened at the sight, and a curse escaped my lips. There, in the reflection on the screen, was my face staring back at me-
with several umall sloodles on my temple. A little flower, a moon, and a nice 'A' written underneath it.
Her dama linke signature.
"Here," Charles handed me his hatalkerchief, which I used to wipe off the marker; thankfully it was easily removable
4.36 PM c
But how dare she? What kind of childish stunt....?
"Was it her!" Charles asked, sticking his hands in his pockets, "Audrey?"
I nodded stiffly and tossed his phone back to him. "It seems so."
Charles raised an eyebrow. "Oh. I thought you two were kissing."
"So you saw her?" I asked, my voice slightly raising involuntarily.
"Yes, well." Charles visibly blanched and ran a hand through his hair. "I came in and thought I was interrupting an intimate moment, so I waited in the hallway. But then I heard a crash, and she came running out Sighing. I shook my head and stood to cross over to the window. I could see the academy's courtyard down below, and although I strained my eyes to find Audrey amongst the sea of other students, she wasn't "She's my student, Charles," I said matter-of-factly. "I would never.. And besides, you know me. I don't let useless emotions tie me down."
"Of course, sir. Anyway, I came to deliver this." He held up a manila folder behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder and nodded toward the desk. "Put it down there. Not in the ink puddle, if you don't mind."
"Certainly. "With that, Charles turned on his heel-
but stopped upon seeing a small bag hanging from the doorknob. It was still swinging as thought it had just been placed there. "What's this?" he asked, holding it out to me.
Furrowing my brow, I crossed the room and took the bag from his hands. Inside was nestled the white t-
shirt I had loaned Audrey last night. It appeared freshly washed, folded perfectly. There was a small note laying on top that simply read. "Thanks. -A"
"It's for me," I said, striding back to my desk. "You may go. Chades."
Charles slipped out of the room, and I was once again alone. I slowly sank down into my chair and plopped the bag on
my desk, carefully beginning to wipe up the spilt ink with some paper towels. But as I worked, my eyes kept wandering over to that little envelope with the pink card
inside.
Oh, Audrey, I thought to myself with a shake of my head. I supposed that she might have heard my statement about not getting tied up with fegs when she had left the shirt earlier. It was a relief, at least, to k
But still, I couldn't help but feel a small pang of regret. My fingers made their way over to the card, tracing the corner of it gently. The smell of perfume and flowers still lingered-a heady, all-too- intoxicating scent that I didn't usually like. But she had put in the effort, and she had gone out on a limb. I commended that.
*You should have alerted me when she was trying to kiss me," I said quietly under my breath, chiding my wolf. "You just sat there."
My wolf growled pensively.
"I couldn't help it. Her p
presence lulls me."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I growled in response.